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{{More citations needed|date=May 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2013}}
{{Distinguish|Interamerican Series}}
{{Infobox football tournament
| name                 = Copa Interamericana<br><small>Interamerican Cup</small>
| image                = Copa Interamericana trophy.png
| imagesize            = 150
| caption              = The trophy awarded to champions
| organiser            = [[CONCACAF]]<br>[[CONMEBOL]]
| American             = yes
| founded              = 1968
| abolished            = {{end date and age|1998}}
| region               = Americas
| number of teams      = 2
| current champions    = {{nowrap|{{flagicon|USA}} [[D.C. United]] (1st title)}}
| most successful club = {{nowrap|{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]] (3 titles)}}
}}

The '''Copa Interamericana''' ({{langx|en|Interamerican Cup}}) was an international [[association football|football]] competition endorsed by [[CONCACAF]] (North, Central America and Caribbean) and [[CONMEBOL]] (South America). Established in 1969, it was discontinued in 1998 after CONCACAF clubs, particularly those from Mexico, began participating in CONMEBOL competitions.

The competition was intended to be contested between the winners of the North American [[CONCACAF Champions Cup]] and the South American [[Copa Libertadores]] tournaments, although the participants varied at times. The competition was usually contested over a two legged tie, with a playoff or [[penalty kick]]s if necessary, but it was common for several consecutive editions to go unheld. Of the 18 competitions played out, four of them were contested over several matches in just one venue. Two others were held in a single match. Another two editions had participants that didn't outright qualify to dispute the competition. Most of the editions were held one, and sometimes two, years after the participants had qualified. This was the result of the lack of financial incentives and the low relevance of the competition.{{cn|date=December 2022}}

The 18 Copa Interamericana tournaments were won by 13 different club teams. Argentine side [[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]] won a record three titles. The last winner of the cup was American side [[D.C. United]], defeating Brazilian side [[CR Vasco da Gama|Vasco da Gama]] 2–1 on aggregate in [[1998 Copa Interamericana|1998]]. Argentina was the most successful national league with seven titles, while Uruguayan outfit [[Club Nacional de Football|Nacional]] and Independiente share the record for the most appearances with three each.

==History==
In 1969, an agreement came between the confederations of South America (CONMEBOL) and Central and North America (CONCACAF) to play an annual competition, the [[Interamerican Cup]], which pits the champions of those two confederations in a format similar to the Intercontinental Cup. The first edition was contested between Estudiantes and [[Liga MX|Mexican]] club [[Deportivo Toluca F.C.|Toluca]] in which each team won 2–1 in their away legs. The playoff in Montevideo proved to be the tie-breaker as Estudiantes won a violent match 2–0. This promising start did little to help the competition; due to the difference in interests between the clubs involved, the Interamerican Cup had an even more sporadic lifeline than the Intercontinental Cup; sometimes, years would go without it being played. The second edition was played four years later, in 1971, which saw Nacional edged Mexican side [[Cruz Azul]] 3–2 on aggregate. Independiente would become the only club to win the competition three times in a row, from 1972 to 1974, after seeing off [[Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional de Honduras|Honduran]] club [[Club Deportivo Olimpia|Olimpia]], [[Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala|Guatemalan]] club [[CSD Municipal|Municipal]] and Mexican side [[Atlético Español]], the last two after a [[penalty shoot-out]]. Mexico's [[Club América|América]] broke the South American hegemony after beating Boca Juniors in a play-off match in 1977. As a result of this victory, the Mexican squad argued that it had the right to participate in the Intercontinental Cup of that year; however, they were denied the opportunity. Paraguay's Olimpia returned the trophy back south in 1980 with a victory over [[Salvadoran Primera División|El Salvador]]'s [[Club Deportivo FAS|FAS]] but [[Club Universidad Nacional]] of [[Mexico City]] defeating Uruguay's Nacional to win CONCACAF's second title.

The competition entered a state of hiatus again, this time for five years. In 1986, [[Argentinos Juniors]] would defeat [[Defence Force F.C.|Defence Force]] of [[TT Pro League|Trinidad and Tobago]] in a single-match final. [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]] would keep the trophy in Argentina, for the second year running, defeating [[Costa Rican Primera División|Costa Rica]]n side [[LD Alajuelense|Alajuelense]]. Uruguay's Nacional would trounce Honduras' Olimpia 5-1 on aggregate the following year. Colombia's [[Atlético Nacional]] made short work of Club Universidad Nacional; however, South America hegemony would once again be broken by América after defeating Paraguay's Olimpia. Compatriots [[Club Puebla|Puebla]] failed to retain the trophy in Mexico after being routed by [[Chilean Primera Division|Chile]]'s [[Colo-Colo]]. The importance of the competition decreased significantly after two Brazilian clubs, Copa Libertadores winners São Paulo (1993) and [[Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense|Grêmio]] (1995) declined to participate out of disinterest; both times, the Copa Libertadores runners-up, Chilean side [[Club Deportivo Universidad Católica|Universidad Católica]] and Atlético Nacional took their place; each of them were pushed to the limit by Costa Rica's [[Deportivo Saprissa|Saprissa]]. [[Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield|Vélez Sársfield]] beat Costa Rican club [[C.S. Cartaginés|Cartaginés]] in 1994 while the last Interamerican Cup, held in 1998, saw [[Major League Soccer|American]] club [[D.C. United]] beat Vasco da Gama. 

The Interamerican Cup was abolished in 1998 when Mexican clubs began to participate in the Copa Libertadores and other CONCACAF teams participated in the [[Copa Sudamericana]]. From 2005 to 2023, when FIFA adopted the Club World Championship format clash between the champions of all continental confederations, the champions of CONCACAF and CONMEBOL again had the opportunity to meet, which happened on multiple occasions throughout the history of the tournament with this format.

In January 2023, CONCACAF and CONMEBOL had signed a new strategic partnership, which would include a "[[final four]]" style club tournament containing two teams from both confederations that would start in 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=CONMEBOL and Concacaf sign strategic collaboration agreement |url=https://www.concacaf.com/news/conmebol-and-concacaf-sign-strategic-collaboration-agreement/ |website=Concacaf.com |access-date=27 January 2023 |date=27 January 2023}}</ref> This event was not held however beginning in 2024, the annual [[FIFA Intercontinental Cup]] has included a match between the champions of each confederation dubbed [[Derby of the Americas]].

==Records and statistics==
===List of finals===
{|class="wikitable"
|+Key to the list
|-
|width="40px" bgcolor="#FBCEB1" align="center"| a.e.t.
| Match was won during [[Overtime (sports)#Association football|extra time]]
|-
|width="40px" bgcolor="#cedff2" align="center"| p.
| Match was won on a [[Penalty shoot-out (association football)|penalty shoot-out]]
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:;"
|-
! scope="col"| Year
! scope="col"| Winners
! scope="col"| {{tooltip|Sco./Agg.|Aggregate score (or only score in the case of editions under a single-match system) }}
! scope="col"| Runners-up
! scope="col"| 1st leg
! scope="col"| 2nd leg
! scope="col"| Play-off
|-
| [[1969 Copa Interamericana|1969]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} '''[[Estudiantes de La Plata|Estudiantes (LP)]]''' 
| align=center| 6–3
| {{flagicon|MEX}} [[Deportivo Toluca F.C.|Toluca]] 
| align=center|2–1
| align=center|1–2 
| align=center|3–0
|-
| [[1971 Copa Interamericana|1971]]
| {{flagicon|URU}} '''[[Club Nacional de Football|Nacional]]'''
| {{center|3–2}}
| {{flagicon|MEX}} [[Cruz Azul]]
| align=center|1–1
| align=center|2–1  
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1973 Copa Interamericana|1973]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} '''[[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]]'''
| align=center|4–1
| {{flagicon|HON|1949}} [[Club Deportivo Olimpia|Olimpia]]
| align=center|2–1
| align=center|2–0 
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1974 Copa Interamericana|1974]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} '''[[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]]'''
| align=center bgcolor="#cedff2" |1–1 {{pso|4–2}} 
| {{flagicon|GUA}} [[CSD Municipal|Municipal]]
| align=center|1–0
| align=center|0–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1976 Copa Interamericana|1976]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} '''[[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]]''' 
| align=center bgcolor="#cedff2" |2–2 {{pso|4–2}} 
| {{flagicon|MEX}} [[Atlético Español F.C.|Español]]
| align=center|2–2
| align=center|0–0
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1978 Copa Interamericana|1978]]
| {{flagicon|MEX}} '''[[Club América|América]]''' 
| align=center| <s>1–3</s> {{refn|Aggregate score not taken into account.<ref>[https://www.historiadeboca.com.ar/copa-interamericana-1978/1978/325.html Copa Interamericana ] on ''Historia de Boca''</ref><ref>[https://relatosehistorias.mx/nuestras-historias/el-primer-triunfo-de-un-equipo-mexicano-en-la-copa-interamericana-1978 El primer triunfo de un equipo mexicano en la Copa Interamericana, 1978] by Gerardo Díaz on ''Relatos e Historias''</ref> |group=n|name=notaken}}
| {{flagicon|ARG}} [[Boca Juniors]]
| align=center|0–3 
| align=center|1–0
| bgcolor="#FBCEB1" align="center"| 2–1 ([[overtime (sports)#Association football|a.e.t.]])
|-
| [[1979 Copa Interamericana|1979]]
| {{flagicon|PAR}} '''[[Club Olimpia|Olimpia]]''' 
| align=center|8–3
| {{flagicon|SLV}} [[Club Deportivo FAS|FAS]]
| align=center|3–3 
| align=center|5–0 
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1981 Copa Interamericana|1981]]
| {{flagicon|MEX}} '''[[Club Universidad Nacional|UNAM]]''' 
| align=center|6–5
| {{flagicon|URU}} [[Club Nacional de Football|Nacional]]
| align=center|3–1
| align=center|1–3
| align=center|2–1
|-
| [[1985 Copa Interamericana|1985]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} '''[[Argentinos Juniors]]''' 
| align=center| 1–0 {{refn|Final was played under a single match format.|group=n|name=singl}} 
| {{flagicon|TRI}} [[Defence Force F.C.|Defence Force]]
| colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1986 Copa Interamericana|1986]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} '''[[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]''' 
| align=center|3–0 
| {{flagicon|CRC}} [[LD Alajuelense|Alajuelense]]
| align=center|0–0
| align=center|3–0 
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1988 Copa Interamericana|1988]]
| {{flagicon|URU}} '''[[Club Nacional de Football|Nacional]]''' 
| align=center|5–1
| {{flagicon|HON|1949}} [[CD Olimpia|Olimpia]]
| align=center|1–1 
| align=center|4–0 
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1989 Copa Interamericana|1989]]
| {{flagicon|COL}} '''[[Atlético Nacional]]''' 
| align=center|6–1
| {{flagicon|MEX}} [[Club Universidad Nacional|UNAM]]
| align=center|2–0
| align=center|4–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1990 Copa Interamericana|1990]]
| {{flagicon|MEX}} '''[[Club América|América]]'''
| align=center|3–2
| {{flagicon|PAR}} [[Club Olimpia|Olimpia]]
| align=center|1–1 
| align=center|2–1 
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1991 Copa Interamericana|1991]]
| {{flagicon|CHI}} '''[[Colo-Colo]]'''
| align=center|7–2
| {{flagicon|MEX}} [[Club Puebla|Puebla]]
| align=center|4–1
| align=center|3–1
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1993 Copa Interamericana|1993]]
| {{flagicon|CHI}} '''[[Club Deportivo Universidad Católica|Universidad Católica]]'''
| align=center|6–4 
| {{flagicon|CRC}} [[Deportivo Saprissa|Saprissa]]
| align=center|1–3
| align=center|5–1 
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1996 Copa Interamericana|1996]]
| {{flagicon|ARG}} '''[[Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield|Vélez Sársfield]]'''
| align=center|2–0
| {{flagicon|CRC}} [[C.S. Cartaginés|Cartaginés]]
| align=center|0–0 
| align=center|2–0 
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1997 Copa Interamericana|1997]]
| {{flagicon|COL}} '''[[Atlético Nacional]]'''
| align=center| 3–2 {{refn|Final was played under a single match format.|group=n|name=singl}}
| {{flagicon|CRC}} [[Deportivo Saprissa|Saprissa]]
| colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|-
| [[1998 Copa Interamericana|1998]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} '''[[D.C. United]]'''
| align=center| 2–1 
| {{flagicon|BRA}} [[CR Vasco da Gama|Vasco da Gama]]
| align=center| 0–1
| align=center| 2–0 
| style="text-align:center;background:#efefef"| –
|}

{{small div|
;Notes
{{reflist|group=n}}
}}

===Performances by club===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable"
|-
!scope="col"| Team
!scope="col"| Winners
!scope="col"| Runners-up
!scope="col" class="unsortable"| Years won
!scope="col" class="unsortable"| Years runners-up
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Club Atlético Independiente|Independiente]]
|align=center|3||align=center|0||1972, 1974, 1975||
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|URU}} [[Club Nacional de Football|Nacional]]
|align=center|2||align=center|1||1971, 1988||1980
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Club América|América]]
|align=center|2
|align=center|0
|1977, 1990
|
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|COL}} [[Atlético Nacional]]
|align=center|2||align=center|0||1989, 1995||
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|PAR}} [[Olimpia Asunción|Olimpia]]
|align=center|1||align=center|1||1979||1990
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Club Universidad Nacional|UNAM]]
|align=center|1
|align=center|1
|1981
|1989
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Estudiantes de La Plata|Estudiantes]]
|align=center|1||align=center|0||1968||
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Argentinos Juniors]]
|align=center|1||align=center|0||1985||
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Club Atlético River Plate|River Plate]]
|align=center|1||align=center|0||1986||
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Colo-Colo]]
|align=center|1||align=center|0||1991||
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|CHI}} [[Club Deportivo Universidad Católica|Universidad Católica]]
|align=center|1||align=center|0||1993||
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield|Vélez Sársfield]]
|align=center|1||align=center|0||1994||
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|USA}} [[D.C. United]]
|align=center|1||align=center|0||1998||
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|HON|1949}} [[CD Olimpia|Olimpia]]
|align=center|0||align=center|2||||1972, 1988
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|CRC}} [[Deportivo Saprissa|Saprissa]]
|align=center|0||align=center|2||||1993, 1995
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Club Deportivo Toluca|Toluca]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1968
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Cruz Azul]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1971
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|GUA}} [[CSD Municipal|Municipal]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1974
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Club Necaxa|Atlético Español]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1975
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|ARG}} [[Boca Juniors]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1977
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|SLV}} [[Club Deportivo FAS|FAS]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1979
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|TRI}} [[Defence Force F.C.|Defence Force]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1985
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|CRC}} [[LD Alajuelense|Alajuelense]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1986
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|MEX}} [[Club Puebla|Puebla]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1991
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|CRC}} [[CS Cartaginés|Cartaginés]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1994
|-
!scope=row|{{flagicon|BRA}} [[CR Vasco da Gama|Vasco da Gama]]
|align=center|0||align=center|1||||1998
|}

===By nation===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
!scope="col"|Nation
!scope="col"|Winners
!scope="col"|Runners-up
!scope="col"|Total
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|ARG}}
|7
|1
|8
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|MEX}}
| 3
| 5
| 8
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|CHI}}
| 2
| 0
| 2
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|COL}}
| 2
| 0
| 2
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|URU}}
| 2
| 1
| 3
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|PAR}}
| 1
| 1
| 2
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|USA}}
| 1
| 0
| 1
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|CRC}} 
| 0
| 4
| 4
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|HON|1949}}
| 0
| 2
| 2
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|BRA}}
| 0
| 1
| 1
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|SLV}}
| 0
| 1
| 1
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|GUA}}
| 0
| 1
| 1
|-
!scope="row"|{{fba|TRI}}
| 0
| 1
| 1
|}

===By confederation===
{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"
|+ Results by confederation
!scope="col"| Confederation
!scope="col"| Winners
!scope="col"| Runners-up
|-
! scope="row"| [[CONMEBOL]]
| 14
| 4
|-
!scope="row"| [[CONCACAF]]
| 4
| 14
|}

==See also==
*[[FIFA Derby of the Americas]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=n}}
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons cat}}
* [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesi/intam.html Copa Interamericana overview] at the [[RSSSF]]

{{Copa Interamericana}}
{{Copa Interamericana winners}}{{International Club Football}}{{South American football}}
{{North American club football competitions}}

[[Category:Copa Interamericana|Copa Interamericana]]
[[Category:Defunct CONMEBOL club competitions|i]]
[[Category:Defunct CONCACAF club competitions|i]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1968]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events disestablished in 1998]]
[[Category:1968 establishments in North America]]
[[Category:1998 disestablishments in North America]]
[[Category:1968 establishments in South America]]
[[Category:1998 disestablishments in South America]]